All things books, all the time

Keeping a Journal

You always see in movies or read in books about how this person or that wrote religiously in his her journal about the happenings of everyday life. Which I think is something that many of us have done at some point in the past.

Journals serve as an outlet for EVERYTHING going on in one’s life. I mean, yes there are probably several pages dedicated to that boy or girl you have a crush on but can’t seem to figure out if it’s mutual. But there are also pages upon pages of things that you’d never tell another person. Not your mom or your best friend or anyone. Why? Because no one else will ever understand.

Some might think that it’s only necessary to keep a journal when something is going wrong. Well let me quickly dispute that idea. You see, I’ve never written in a journal before, but a few short years ago I went through something that overwhelmed me for a long time. I needed some kind of avenue to express myself. I turned to letters. I wrote hundreds of letters that were never meant to be read by any other person, unless I decided to give them all to the person I was writing to. Which I never did. So now they serve as a reminder of what I was doing over the course of a three year span of my life while I was trying to figure everything out.

The initial reasoning for writing the letters had long passed but still I kept writing them. About school. Or writing. Or anything at all. My journal wasn’t a journal, it was a series of letters that I’ll never allow another person to read. Cause they just wouldn’t understand.

But that’s just me, have you ever kept a journal? If yes, what did you use it for? Maybe to write about your daily life. Or about a particular event. Or as an outlet to express yourself when no one around you knew what was going on. Or maybe you use it for story ideas. I’d love to know!

Side note: this is my 200th post! Thanks for sticking with me. It’s been great so far.

I have a drawerful of journals. But a few years ago, life got in the way and I stopped journaling. Last month, I felt journaling calling to me once more. So I got out a new journal and wrote. I haven’t had it out since 😦 Maybe your post will be my motivation to take it out again.
Congrats on your 200th post.

I have about 20 journals, spanning from age 15 to 25. Lots of embarrassing and blackmail-worthy material in there, but it’s cool having a track record of most of my life and seeing how much I changed. I’ll keep journaling until my hands fall off (PS. thanks for calling it a ‘journal’ and not ‘diary,’ I think people who say journaling is for tweenagers are really thinking of diaries).

I try to write a journal entry every evening, but real life gets in the way. I stick to one page per entry – I write about the first thought that comes to mind once I open the page. Usually this is something that has been on my mind all day. Based on reading old journal entries, I’ve picked up the habit of adding the day of the week plus date and year.

I’ve been in writing in a journal off an on for years. I use it for story ideas, keep track of my thoughts or just to write down what I feeling. I write down reminders, I basically use it for everything.

I do keep a journal. I need to write in it daily, but I don’t. One the left-hand side of the paper, I make lists of goals and things I need to do an focus on, on the other side, I write about my feelings and what happened that day.

I have a shoebox full of journals I used to write through school. I kind of stopped after University but I am trying to get back into the habit. I find it’s a good outlet and a good way to get some perspective of things that happen in life. Also sometimes it’s good to just vent.

I’ve started many a journal, but never had time to devote to one. Each one fell by the wayside after one or two entries. Where they are now I do not know. Still I had more disappointment, struggle, victory, and excitement from life experiences floating in my head to find words to write. All I needed was time. Time is that elusive ingredient, added to the others, necessary for accomplishment. Sometimes we need to fight for those moments.

I’ve started about 60 gazillion journals, and I write for maybe a few days before it tapers off and I either get lazy or completely forget about it. Don’t know why. Despite being a writer, I’ve never been all that great at journaling. I do keep a small notebook with me at all times, but it’s usually for story ideas. So I either think my life isn’t interesting enough to write down, or I find other avenues for expressing my emotions. I wish I was better at journaling, but I’m terrible at it. And honestly, I don’t even like doing it that much. I’m weird. I know it.

Oh man!
They’re all great. Okay.
Her message to Air Canada.
My Parents do this part one.
My kids do this.
My parents do this part 2.
How girls text back.
Different types of laughs.
I don’t know if you’ll watch all those, but if you do I have more.

Congratulations on 200 posts! I go through periods where I’ll want to keep a journal. I keep one right now. I think it’s so I can reflect on what I was going through later on in life, and to remember everything.

I’ve kept a journal off and on over the years. But it usually would last a couple of weeks or so before I got bored with it…or I didn’t have much of anything to write about. More recently I started an art journal. Basically just random drawings and inspirational quotes, ideas, etc. I do have one other notebook that I’ve been using for all of my random ideas. It’s so worn out and dog-eared from taking it everywhere..and it’s missing the cover. But I’ve had it for years and it’s my favorite.

Yeah it’s fun. Almost like having a regular journal because you can draw what you’re feeling.
You want one filled up or a blank one to fill yourself? I got mine at Hobby Lobby. It’s a nice black hardback book.

Hmmmm. I don’t think so. I had one art class in college and we looked at some of his work. I know the name of one….was it Guerica? Or something. Totally guessing that name. Not even bothering to Google. Probably way off. So no. I draw stick figures.

That class wasn’t art history. Or maybe it was. No, I think it was art appreciation. Eh. It was in the summer. And we actually had to do a few art pieces and holy crap mine were bad. And guess what the worst part of all was!? I finished with an 88.7 as my grade. And got a B. How does that not go up when it’s summer?! Ugh. The artwork was cool. I actually liked it.

I know! I need to marry rich to make sure it happens. Haha you can’t tell anyone. Especially since there are soooooo many more places I must see. Like who has money to be in South America and then Europe and then the US and then everywhere? Not me. But Jennifer Lawrence does.

True John, but I would love to pick it up and be able see that hey at age 7 I was a good writer. You know kind of “Diary of Adrian Mole”ish. It read more like “went to the shop, saw my cousin, had dinner” haha.

No sarcasm. I meant it. I hope others journals are as basic as mine. As I know you are also a fan of ‘The diary of Anne frank”, so there are many great works to compare to that makes me feel less than worthy to write. 🙂

I’ve tried numerous times in the past. None made a year. Haha….But whenever I look back into my old journals, it’s like a walk down memory lane. You’ve inspired me to try again, and perhaps this time around, I’ll be more successful!

I have kept a diary throughout my life, but only when I’m seriously annoyed at someone, so now when I read it back it just looks like I’m a very, very angry person, like all the time, so I just don’t share them with anyone.

Someone else should do it too. I’m convinced you only act this way online. Cause in person if you keep talking about your messed up brain, then people would just get annoyed. And I do not care what you say about people welded out or whatever by you. I don’t believe a word of it.

Hm. Well my plan was to find a job pertaining to my degree after this year. But I’m about 97% sure I won’t be doing that. (I’ve only told one person this and it’s kind of a big deal when everyone around me is like “hmmm why don’t you have a real job?” Your turn. 🙂

Really? 97% sure? I am amazed at your calculating abilities in your decisions! 😉 I like the fact that you didn’t say 95%, because that would be easier. Shows me you think about your decisions! 😀

Okay, I’m a lot more eloquent at writing than public speaking which is why I decided to do journalism because I like diving in the deep end and then swimming frantically to shore! It’s the only way I take risks, either I go all out or I don’t. Your turn 🙂

Haha I’m really like 100% sure. And I don’t believe you. I feel like you’d be just fine in front of people or cameras or whatever. 🙂

Hm. I’m really judgmental. Like if someone does stuff I don’t like I’ll usually never ever ever talk or text or anything with them. Sounds bad. But everyone judges everyone. I just make it known. You’re up. 🙂

I am speaking the truth, I promise. I used to be up nights before I had to speak in public first, it was the quickest way for me to lose weight because I, can you believe it? I, would stop eating for about 2 weeks before I had to so my speech!

Now, I’m only up for half of that 😀

Seriously, I am extremely shy unless I get to know you and then I’m a motor mouth and I won’t shut up. Most of my friends are like, we liked it better when you were shy! 😀

I know, I know, but apparently my health and my nerves aren’t on the same wavelength. You’ve only hit one person in the face ever? I have foot in mouth disease, I mean a serious case of it and I NEVER have a small audience when I’m putting my foot in it 😦

This was a very calm and controlled tantrum. Firstly, I’m Indian and top top it all, I’m a girrrlllll, so tantrums were MADE by me baby! Haha! It’s opposite day, I mean week, refer to my other comment and you’ll see that it was against the rules to tell you anything about moi 🙂

Awww, you kept a journal? You never told me. Well. I think you might not know, but I also kept a journal. I have (er, had) been writing regularly since the 5th grade. It’s been three years since I stopped though. Now I just write maybe once in 3 months, or sometimes, I don’t write at all. But yes. My journal started out as a daily diary, how my every day went, but soon, it became more than the usual stuff and it became more personal because I started writing down my poems and feelings and thoughts that crossed my mind. So, yeah. Now when I go through my journals, I feel as if I used to be very emotional growing up. Mad about little things, I wrote about fights with my brother. Blah, stuff like that. But then, there were my poems and stuff too. So. Yeah.

It’s not a journal. It’s a box of letters. I never told you cause it has to do with a girl. And I get sad when I talk about it. But I’ll write you an email right now and tell you.

So do you not keep a journal still? Cause imagine all the cool stuff you could write about! You’re almost done with school! I bet that would be a great thing to write and then for you to read later on! 🙂